Anderson admits defeat is 'a huge wake-up call'

James Anderson has admitted England's much-vaunted bowling attack were given a sharp "wake-up call" by the quality of their South African counterparts. The Test series against South Africa had been billed as a battle between the two best bowling attacks in world cricket but there proved to be little comparison as South Africa clinched the series 2-0 and with it usurped England as the No.1 rated Test team.

While Anderson and Stuart Broad claimed their wickets at a cost of 40.66 and 39.72 apiece respectively, Vernon Philander and Dale Steyn claimed theirs for 23.66 and 29.20. Graeme Swann claimed only four wickets in the two Tests he played at an eye-watering cost of 77 runs apiece.

"It was a huge wake-up call for this bowing attack," Anderson admitted. "When you get to No.1 you can start believing your own hype and your own press. When people say you are a great bowling attack you can start believing that and this is a huge wake-up call in this series.

"We have been truly out-bowled in this series and it shows we have a lot of work to do. Maybe we have got a long way to go."

Despite the defeat, Anderson insisted that Andrew Strauss remained the man to lead England. While England's captain endured a grim series, averaging just 17.83 and looking increasingly jaded by the Kevin Pietersen debacle, Anderson said the entire dressing room - sans Pietersen - were united in support of Strauss and would back him "to the hilt".

"Andrew Strauss has been pivotal in everything we have achieved," Anderson said. "He is a huge part of our team. As players I can speak for everyone and say we hope he carries on for a few more years yet. Straussy has got so much respect as a captain and a leader. We all very much respect his decisions and we will back him to the hilt with whatever he and the ECB decides to do over the Kevin Pietersen issue.

"It was Straussy's 100th Test match and you could see how much he still loved being in the dressing room. Now we have lost the No.1 spot I am sure he is very hungry to get us back there."

Anderson struggled to explain England's disappointing form in the series against South Africa, but conceded that the mindset of being No.1 rather than chasing that status may have been a contributory factor.

"There is a slightly different mentality when you are trying to get to No.1 rather than being No.1," he said. "Teams have a different approach towards how they play against you and maybe we needed a different mindset to the one we had. We have not quite got it right whatever it might be.

"Perhaps we have let our standards slip as Straussy said after the game. If you do that you are going to come under pressure.

"I don't think we have shown any complacency. The one thing that got us to No.1 in the world was striving for constant improvement. We were always trying to be better and maybe we rested on our laurels a little bit. We didn't try and keep improving as we had done in previous years.

"I think we were better when we were trying to get to No.1. We were better when we were chasing. We know how to do that."

Anderson remained confident that England could reclaim the top spot, though. He felt that the success of younger players such as Steven Finn and Jonny Bairstow promised much for the future

"We have made some steps forward," Anderson said. "Steven Finn has done a great job since he came in. The spell on the fourth day at Lord's was one of the best spells of bowling I have seen in a Test. It is exciting from that point of view, but we know we have got to do a lot of improving if we want to get back to that No.1 spot.

"We got to No.1 in the world with this team and Straussy leading this team. I don't see why we can't do it again. Especially with a couple of new guys coming in it is an important phase letting them settle into the team. I thought JB was exceptional this week and he showed real signs of being a world class player. It is exciting we have guys like that coming into the team. We know what it takes to get there so hopefully we can do it again.

"Could we do it without Kevin Pietersen? I don't see why not. We have seen we have talented guys coming through. If he doesn't play Test cricket against it would be a huge loss because he is such a devastating player but I don't see why we can't. We have enough talent there to get back to No.1.

"The starting point is India. It is a tough place to start but it an exciting challenge. If you want to be No.1 in the world you have to win in India, so why not start there?"

Investec, the specialist bank and asset manager, is the title sponsor of Test Match cricket in England. Visit the Investec Cricket Zone at investec.co.uk/cricket for player analysis, stats, test match info and games.

@desi-blue on (August 23 2012, 23:31 PM GMT) We'll have to see how it all unfolds. I trust our bowlers much more than our batsmen for sure. The one thing we have got in our favour is that there is so much less expectation than before the UAE series where our batsmen looked petrified. If we lose it's kind of expected ,if we win it will be a great confidence builder. I feel our best (possibly only) chance is to go 5/1/5 with 2 spinners (Swann and Monty or another) and 3 pacemen - my 3 would be Woakes as an all rounder plus Onions and Jimmy. I'm not so bothered about who is in our bowling line up but I see our best opportunity is to try and outbowl India (taking more wickets cheaper) than outscore India. I believe if we continue with 6/1/4 our task becomes even tougher

POSTED BY
ScottStevo
on | August 24, 2012, 9:55 GMT

@wablo - I think you'll find that drought was caused by Australia being a far superior team and making the other sides look like they were lacking in talent. Think you need to take another look at exactly how Australia rose to the top... Also, we were dominant through the most part of the 00's too. The deposition was one of our own making as our players retired - the same ones that caused you to believe there was a drought... :) For all of Englands posturing in recent years, they've only really had one decent series against Aus in the last 4, the rest they barely managed to scrape by and after looking back at '09 (especially the stats), I'm still baffled as to how England actually won that series. thing is, once Engl beat Aus so convinvingly in Aus, you thought you'd started on your trip to greatness. Funny thing is, England didn't really play all that well and Aus were all over the place making them look a whole lot better than they actually were - as we're all starting to see..

POSTED BY
desi-blue
on | August 24, 2012, 9:31 GMT

@Meety:Again that's your opinion..don't quite agree with it,but respect it nonetheless..(btw Randiv???..didn't see that coming..lol)..@MattyP1979:Not quite sure about the whole IND not having a half decent spinner comment..but I guess it's par for the course..especially since I don't think that you have seen much of Ashwin or Ojha in action..anyway I still think they will do fairly well..also ENG'S issues with spin seems as much mental as it does physical ie-Technique..(just an unqualified guess mind you)

POSTED BY
jezzastyles
on | August 24, 2012, 7:33 GMT

It will be a very interesting series in IND - anybody who thinks ENG cannot win may be reading too much in to their recent "slump" in form. I still stand by my earlier comments - ENG can win it 2-0, but they must start the series well. If they start poorly, IND will get on a roll in home conditions, and it'll be very tough to battle back. That young IND batsmen, Pujara (I think) looked very good against NZ, he has a good, solid technique - he could prove troublesome for the ENG bowlers.

POSTED BY
warneneverchuck
on | August 24, 2012, 5:46 GMT

I can feel for poor guy Swan who will be thrashed by indians

POSTED BY
warneneverchuck
on | August 24, 2012, 5:16 GMT

India has won series drawn series in last 10 years in ENG but Wt ENG has achieved in India in test an odi they can't even win in bangladesh forget abt India an I think swan will never play again after India series

POSTED BY
MattyP1979
on | August 24, 2012, 3:16 GMT

Desi_blue. I actually agree that Eng have made ok spinners look very good. I am hoping that Eng have learnt a few lessons since then. Also the fact that Ind don't have even a half decent spinner should help. Simply put Eng will be fielding the best 2 spinners on the park. The only Ind avg's that will be going up is their bowlers (if that is possible). For those that are bound to mention our past failings with previous teams I can tell you that you are right, those teams have struggled against those Ind teams....THIS Eng side vs THAT Ind side we are 4-0 up.

POSTED BY
cassiano
on | August 24, 2012, 2:02 GMT

Anderson is right - the best place to start is India to get back to number one- The english team can only start in India - they will not get anywhere near to number one again-cause the start will never end. They have lost the only match winner they had in the side.

POSTED BY
MattyP1979
on | August 24, 2012, 1:31 GMT

Eng will be thrashed by Ind!!!!!! Really? Although you have just lost 8-0 (6 by an innings) we have lost one test match by an innings since Wally hammond retired or there abouts. In your wildest dreams will Ind thrash Eng. They may end up beating them (but i doubt it) but i can tell you, see what odds you get for 4-0 (3 by an inngs for Ind). More likely we win every match we win the toss and draw the others. If you want a good laugh check out your bowlers avg's.

POSTED BY
Meety
on | August 24, 2012, 1:24 GMT

@desi-blue - you may well be right re: Ashwin & Ojha - but the reality is that those 2 bowlers are NOT as good as Rehman, Ajmal, Herath & Randiv atm. India need the Turbanator at his best! @jg2704 - I think England winning the series is not as unlikely as some may think. It will depend on the spinners (assuming tandem approach), Swann needs to be fit because he'll be bowling plenty of overs. The more I think about it, the more I think Bresnan needs to be in the starting XI instead of Broad or Finn, (assuming Woakes gets a nod), the bowling would be Anderson, Broad, Panesar, Swann & Woakes. I think Bresnan will keep motoring all day & keep a tighter line than Broad. I think he'll bustle them more too!

POSTED BY
JG2704
on | August 24, 2012, 13:31 GMT

@desi-blue on (August 23 2012, 23:31 PM GMT) We'll have to see how it all unfolds. I trust our bowlers much more than our batsmen for sure. The one thing we have got in our favour is that there is so much less expectation than before the UAE series where our batsmen looked petrified. If we lose it's kind of expected ,if we win it will be a great confidence builder. I feel our best (possibly only) chance is to go 5/1/5 with 2 spinners (Swann and Monty or another) and 3 pacemen - my 3 would be Woakes as an all rounder plus Onions and Jimmy. I'm not so bothered about who is in our bowling line up but I see our best opportunity is to try and outbowl India (taking more wickets cheaper) than outscore India. I believe if we continue with 6/1/4 our task becomes even tougher

POSTED BY
ScottStevo
on | August 24, 2012, 9:55 GMT

@wablo - I think you'll find that drought was caused by Australia being a far superior team and making the other sides look like they were lacking in talent. Think you need to take another look at exactly how Australia rose to the top... Also, we were dominant through the most part of the 00's too. The deposition was one of our own making as our players retired - the same ones that caused you to believe there was a drought... :) For all of Englands posturing in recent years, they've only really had one decent series against Aus in the last 4, the rest they barely managed to scrape by and after looking back at '09 (especially the stats), I'm still baffled as to how England actually won that series. thing is, once Engl beat Aus so convinvingly in Aus, you thought you'd started on your trip to greatness. Funny thing is, England didn't really play all that well and Aus were all over the place making them look a whole lot better than they actually were - as we're all starting to see..

POSTED BY
desi-blue
on | August 24, 2012, 9:31 GMT

@Meety:Again that's your opinion..don't quite agree with it,but respect it nonetheless..(btw Randiv???..didn't see that coming..lol)..@MattyP1979:Not quite sure about the whole IND not having a half decent spinner comment..but I guess it's par for the course..especially since I don't think that you have seen much of Ashwin or Ojha in action..anyway I still think they will do fairly well..also ENG'S issues with spin seems as much mental as it does physical ie-Technique..(just an unqualified guess mind you)

POSTED BY
jezzastyles
on | August 24, 2012, 7:33 GMT

It will be a very interesting series in IND - anybody who thinks ENG cannot win may be reading too much in to their recent "slump" in form. I still stand by my earlier comments - ENG can win it 2-0, but they must start the series well. If they start poorly, IND will get on a roll in home conditions, and it'll be very tough to battle back. That young IND batsmen, Pujara (I think) looked very good against NZ, he has a good, solid technique - he could prove troublesome for the ENG bowlers.

POSTED BY
warneneverchuck
on | August 24, 2012, 5:46 GMT

I can feel for poor guy Swan who will be thrashed by indians

POSTED BY
warneneverchuck
on | August 24, 2012, 5:16 GMT

India has won series drawn series in last 10 years in ENG but Wt ENG has achieved in India in test an odi they can't even win in bangladesh forget abt India an I think swan will never play again after India series

POSTED BY
MattyP1979
on | August 24, 2012, 3:16 GMT

Desi_blue. I actually agree that Eng have made ok spinners look very good. I am hoping that Eng have learnt a few lessons since then. Also the fact that Ind don't have even a half decent spinner should help. Simply put Eng will be fielding the best 2 spinners on the park. The only Ind avg's that will be going up is their bowlers (if that is possible). For those that are bound to mention our past failings with previous teams I can tell you that you are right, those teams have struggled against those Ind teams....THIS Eng side vs THAT Ind side we are 4-0 up.

POSTED BY
cassiano
on | August 24, 2012, 2:02 GMT

Anderson is right - the best place to start is India to get back to number one- The english team can only start in India - they will not get anywhere near to number one again-cause the start will never end. They have lost the only match winner they had in the side.

POSTED BY
MattyP1979
on | August 24, 2012, 1:31 GMT

Eng will be thrashed by Ind!!!!!! Really? Although you have just lost 8-0 (6 by an innings) we have lost one test match by an innings since Wally hammond retired or there abouts. In your wildest dreams will Ind thrash Eng. They may end up beating them (but i doubt it) but i can tell you, see what odds you get for 4-0 (3 by an inngs for Ind). More likely we win every match we win the toss and draw the others. If you want a good laugh check out your bowlers avg's.

POSTED BY
Meety
on | August 24, 2012, 1:24 GMT

@desi-blue - you may well be right re: Ashwin & Ojha - but the reality is that those 2 bowlers are NOT as good as Rehman, Ajmal, Herath & Randiv atm. India need the Turbanator at his best! @jg2704 - I think England winning the series is not as unlikely as some may think. It will depend on the spinners (assuming tandem approach), Swann needs to be fit because he'll be bowling plenty of overs. The more I think about it, the more I think Bresnan needs to be in the starting XI instead of Broad or Finn, (assuming Woakes gets a nod), the bowling would be Anderson, Broad, Panesar, Swann & Woakes. I think Bresnan will keep motoring all day & keep a tighter line than Broad. I think he'll bustle them more too!

POSTED BY
desi-blue
on | August 23, 2012, 23:31 GMT

@JG2704:Well I personally believe that given enough time then yes both Ashwin and Ojha should surpass Herath and Rehman respectively..Ashwin and Ojha should be given a fair crack because both are young in terms of experience
as well having played 20 tests between them..also ENG have the ability to make average spinners look world class..lol..I mean how many would have predicted the success that guys like Herath or Rehman would have achieved against them???..heck they even made an odinary Jadeja look unplayable in the odi series..so I wouldn't bet against even some of our part timers doing an half decent job against the ENG batsmen..again just my opinion..

POSTED BY
maddy20
on | August 23, 2012, 22:56 GMT

Well they better not sedate themselves again, like they did after the UAE tour. If they do then the series in India is gonna be a repeat of the UAE tour! THey need to find another bowler like finn and another spinner, most likely Panesar, to support Swann to have atleast a monor chance of beating India at home.

POSTED BY
JG2704
on | August 23, 2012, 20:34 GMT

@desi-blue on (August 23 2012, 10:14 AM GMT) So you're saying the 2 Indian guys you mentioned are better than Rehman and Herath? Fair enough your opinion. Anyway , I'm not sure you need world class spinners to bowl us out. We just have to hope that our bowlers do a better job

POSTED BY
warneneverchuck
on | August 23, 2012, 19:58 GMT

ENG will be thrashed in India

POSTED BY
warneneverchuck
on | August 23, 2012, 19:58 GMT

ENG will be thrashed in India

POSTED BY
Garp
on | August 23, 2012, 16:34 GMT

The main underlying problem that this group ha is their refusal to properly prepare for series/tours. They want to stay home every off day and even when they've been away from the sort for 3 months with a top team coming to England to battle out the number 1 ranking they still did not prepare. Now didn't Flower state after the Pakistan drubbing we would never again go into a series not properly prepared? So how is it then we have Jimmy coming out after another series loss saying we didn't prepare properly? This annoys most of us common folk the most, these players all make millions, travel the world, there given the best of everything, but yet they complain how hard it is being a cricketer, and how hard the schedule is. Lord only knows what would happen to them if they had to join the common folk and work everyday for pennies and have no time off, have to work 2 or 3 jobs to be able just to feed and shelter your family. Pampered, prissy babies I'd share they are!

@Dr.Vindaloo, take a look at the team which is gonna win in India.Strauss-lost it, Cook-good for a few runs, Trott-50 maybe, Ian-please do not spin-bell, 2 new faces in bairstow and taylor, Prior-only decent english player, pacers-not much in India, Swann? lol. Seriously, try looking at a demoralised, broken up, team England, and see what can be made better rather than making India look like the worst team around.

POSTED BY
screamingeagle
on | August 23, 2012, 14:21 GMT

@jb633, i suggest you look at your side as well, and not try and run down the indian side. you will definitey get plenty of chances to eat your words in the near future, not to worry. meanwhile, i wonder if the presence of different nationalities and upbringing is reflecting on the english team. square peg, round hole....no problem, i like these guys go into self destruct mode.

POSTED BY
wablo55
on | August 23, 2012, 13:59 GMT

@RandyOz - Err when was the last time you guys were No.1? Wasn't it 2008? Seems like 4 years is a helluva long time to be waiting whilst your place is 'kept warm'. If that place truly is yours, why don't your boys go out there and get it!?? Maybe because it isn't the 90s anymore, and that every other team in the world has moved on - because the truth is, for all your posturing against England, Australia only rose to the top because there was a global drought in cricket talent. As soon as that drought ended, the deposition of Australia began.....and is unlikely in the near future to be overturned.

POSTED BY
wablo55
on | August 23, 2012, 13:49 GMT

Fair enough. Trite and laudable admission by Anderson. It can be justifiably said that the English press have vaunted the England bowling attack much more than the team themselves - who simply played and won. However, as Anderson concedes an element of hubris had definitely crept into English cricket (Messers Swann, Broad, Finn....the list goes on....) when the players began to believe the hype. This wasn't a sensible move; and pride necessarily preceded an almighty fall. What concerns me about this piece is that I'm not sure Anderson has learnt his lesson. Saying that Finn's bowling at Lords (which was certainly good) was 'one of the best pieces of test match bowling' he had ever seen, is as risible as it is worrying. It's this kind of ridiculous comment which heaps unrealistic expectations on players (Finn will no doubt will be charged with the responsibility of single-handedly saving English cricket), and breeds the kind of hubris-generated complacency, which has been their undoing.

POSTED BY
sam_screaming
on | August 23, 2012, 12:25 GMT

England have only slipped to No.2, till december they wud be somewhere near No. 5.... As far as australia goes they wont be getting up either.... They do not have the quality to match up other teams.. With the the current lot they wud do well to enjoy their prrvious success stories... South africa looks a lot better of the rest of the 9 test playing nations... India with 10 home matches may creep up but a doubt will still remain on there ability to perform overseas which they have lost after the south africa series in 2010... England have to think twice about there strategy... they are the only team to have lost a home series while other nations are atleast able to win at home

POSTED BY
Riderstorm
on | August 23, 2012, 11:59 GMT

SA outplayed them in all departments, enough said.

POSTED BY
bouncedout
on | August 23, 2012, 11:11 GMT

It's sad that some 'fans' of the game have to try and put downEngland because theiown future in the game looks so bleak.

Aus are 9th, yes 9th in the T20 rankings. They show no sign of improving and the 'talent' such as it is in their squad is hardly likely to take them forward.

RandyOz spends his time criticising England because he cannot spend his time talking about Aus because they have achieved nothing in recent years. they have lost 3 out of the last 4 Ashes and they will also be favourites to lose the next one when it comes around.

Randy my old son you are living in a fantasy world, Aus aren't rebuilding, the current squad is as good as they have!!.

SA deserve to be Number 1 as they are the best team. Australia deserve to be where they are because they certainly aren't

POSTED BY
ScottStevo
on | August 23, 2012, 11:02 GMT

@YorkshirePudding, It wasn't only Sky advertising, the players themselves had expressed this feeling in interviews post obtaining the #1 spot and prior to the Pak and SA series. Whether or not it was something they actually believed they could do, well, you'd have to think sitting at the top of the pile they'd have thought they could beat anyone...

Yes, for a while now I've thought the top teams in test cricket would slog it out for the #1 spot. With favourable conditions, rub of the green, a player or two coming into form, etc., etc., any one of these teams could beat the other in a match or even series. I suppose with the playing field more even, the contests will be better and a lot of the upcoming series will be played with more up for grabs so to speak...

POSTED BY
RandyOZ
on | August 23, 2012, 10:45 GMT

England, with only one true star, the South African Pietersen, were never a match for the South Africans, who Australia drew with. England are just no good and as throughout history, only got to #1 while Australia was re-building. And of course they kept it warm for us for the shortest period in history.

POSTED BY
BigDataIsAHoax
on | August 23, 2012, 10:41 GMT

It is important to note what England value and what they do not. After they whitewashed a 3rd grade Indian team at home, they were quick at blowing the trumpet, players, commentators and some jingoistic fans alike. They then went to India to play an ODI series and got whitewashed 5-zip. Guess what their premier spin bowler had to say after that: You don't have to win in India to prove that you are #1. Cannot imagine anyone from the current #1 team saying this. Just desserts!!

POSTED BY
YorkshirePudding
on | August 23, 2012, 10:31 GMT

@ScottStevo, For Sky to do this is one thing but for the players to believe they can do it is another, Look at history 2005 England beat a great Australian team then slipped back into the pack, as they had 'achieved' the goal, then in 2010-2011 they achived thier second goal, winnings an Ashes away(first time in 24 years) and then beating India at home to go top, they took thier foot off the gas thinking job done. This happens all the time in UK sport (though thankfully not cycling and Rowing), but its almost like we have this 'been there done that got the t-shirt, Meh!!!' type attitude. I also see the #1 tag changing hands a number of times this FTP cycle as the top 3-4 teams all play each other until one side gets the upper hand.

POSTED BY
dunque
on | August 23, 2012, 10:14 GMT

@Venki_indian - To be fair England did not lose to SL - it was 1-1 if you remember. But, Ashes aside, our away form has been lamentable and there is not much prospect of any surpsie improvement in India. I feel there may have been a loss of contact with reality - if not complacency - among some elements of the side. However the recent additions seem to have performed reasonably well so maybe a regeneration is possible.

POSTED BY
desi-blue
on | August 23, 2012, 10:14 GMT

@JG2704:Exactly my point...the key word being decent/average..while I am not in any way,shape or form saying that IND has world class spinners my point is that if the ENG batsmen struggle to play bowlers like Rehman and Herath, I feel that they will have an equally tough time if not tougher time playing against guys like Ashwin,Ojha and a hopefully new and improved Harbhajan...also, many in England were breathing a sigh of relief when they were touring SL saying that they do not have any bowler like Ajmal(who is absolute class btw)but a relatively innocuous guy like Herath managed to do them in...so all things taken into consideration I fell that IND is in safe hands in terms of their spinning options...especially keeping in mind the conditions and the mentality of the ENG batsmen against spin...

POSTED BY
on | August 23, 2012, 10:08 GMT

I think the English team have done well, despite a hammering in the first test. They were competitive, their bowlers did bowl well and had some of the catches been taken we might have had a different result. SA were for a long time on the other side of that - They wud drop the catches and lose crucial moments in a test. The final game was in my opinion the best game of Test cricket I have ever seen. Strauss should stay on as captain and Pietersen should decide if he is man enough to be a team player. SA's best players seem to be united, and supportive of each other. All the Best to the Proteas. England shouldnt despair, they are still up there with the best.

POSTED BY
ScottStevo
on | August 23, 2012, 10:05 GMT

@Leggie - I think England did have a fair slice of luck going their way during the Lords test and were still beaten. If you think about both the Pietersen and (especially the) Kallis 1st innings dismissals, then Prior getting caught on the no ball and the stumping decision going his way as well when he was the only glimmer of hope of winning, I think that's just about enough to at least say that England weren't unlucky and had their fair share of it - wouldn't you?

POSTED BY
ScottStevo
on | August 23, 2012, 10:00 GMT

I don't get how there's a different mind set here by the English. In the build up to the test series against Pak the Sky ads were always going on about keeping the top spot and becoming dominant, so it's not as if they've suddenly switched off, or lost mostivation. And I'm also certain that losing against Pak was Eng's wake up call. This wasn't a wake up, this series was Eng getting beaten off their perch - by a better team...

South Africa are a deserving number 1 side, they've had the best line up on paper for some time and haven't yielded the results and let chances to become number 1 slip away, but this time around they played very good cricket throughout the whole series.

I think it's rather plain to see, now that we've seen Aus lose #1 to India, then India lose it to Eng and now Eng lose it to SA, that the #1 spot will most likely float around for a while between most likely these 4 sides - as most people realised when India became #1.

POSTED BY
kreeketer
on | August 23, 2012, 9:43 GMT

I agree England's bowling lacked penetration and taking 10 wkts every time....Home conditions and you expect your bowlers to dominate....i still think England can stay in top 3 in world cricket with this current line-up. Time for England to look for a new Test team Captain....if you are gonna be No.1, your Captain has to lead the team from front.

POSTED BY
TheCricketEmpireStrikesBack
on | August 23, 2012, 8:50 GMT

How do you wake up the dead?

POSTED BY
satish619chandar
on | August 23, 2012, 8:29 GMT

To be fair, England never looked in the game. Not sure that is due to KP issue or No.1 rank pressure. Though they were on par with SA in last to tests at the end of two innings, they never looked a team who can put the pressure and push for win. I guess they need to have a make over in the think-tank. Strauss replaced by Cook might bring in fresh ideas and approach. Cook had already bought on fresh approach in ODI format and England looks a formidable unit there these days. Is it time for change in England? Also, they need to decide whether to go with bowling all rounders or bowlers.. We have already seen the difference between Bresnan and Finn. I assume Onions can do a Finn to Broad. Swann effective ONLY against lefties also need to be addressed.

POSTED BY
on | August 23, 2012, 8:26 GMT

This "Wakeup Call" heading is what we get after almost every England series !!!

POSTED BY
JG2704
on | August 23, 2012, 7:42 GMT

@desi-blue on (August 22 2012, 13:49 PM GMT) Agreed that England can't play spin in SC but Rehman and Herath are still decent bowlers. The latter was top 5 rated last time I looked

POSTED BY
JG2704
on | August 23, 2012, 7:42 GMT

@davidpk on (August 22 2012, 12:30 PM GMT) Funnily enough when we beat India in the tests 4-0 and reached the number one we've gone on a downward spiral in tests ever since. But since the 5-0 thrashing in ODIs in India we've gone unbeaten in that format ever since. Strange how it all works

No doubt that this England team is extremely talented and still one of the best in the world. With a little bit of luck going their way, they could have quite won the Lords Test. While they were completely beaten in the first Test they came back strongly in the next 2 matches. But then, to those who live and die by numbers, a 2-0 defeat should certainly hurt. I'm sure these are the same people who called India as flat track bullies after their disappointing 4-0 loss in England last year. To me this is a wake up call not for England cricket - but to all those who fail to look beyond numbers. Some of England's frailties were evident even last year.. Strauss is clearly struggling and must make way for someone better. Bell, for all his promise, fails to deliver when chips are down. Swann does not look like a wicket taking bowler in England! And Broad needs to be more consistent. The key to remain at top is to make those minor adjustments even when they're winning. I hope England learns!!

POSTED BY
Cricketolympian
on | August 23, 2012, 3:20 GMT

Very interesting comments here on this article, but let's get some perspective here. In 1999 England were officially the worst cricket country in world cricket.
Twelve years later they officially became the best cricket country in the world, as a lover who has no affiliation to any country in particular, I believe that was a magnificent achievement. Any true lover of cricket would acknowledge that.
Also in the current Test Cricket rankings, England and Australia, (36tests&34tests) have played much much more Test Cricket than South Africa who have only played 25 Tests, only Bangladesh and New Zealand have played less!
Could this be the reason why certain Aussie players keep breaking down & certain England players have complained of playing too much cricket. Test cricket is the most physically and mentally draining form of cricket.I observed that in this Test the South African team looked much fresher,fitter and sharper than England. The Less You Play The Fresher You Stay!

POSTED BY
Venki_indian
on | August 23, 2012, 3:01 GMT

Wakeup call? did u not wokeup when u lost to Pak in UAE and to SL in SL? Its too late :)

POSTED BY
Meety
on | August 23, 2012, 2:04 GMT

@landl47 - I don't disagree that the 2nd two tests were more even, but the fact is even that series within a series was WON 1nil by the Saffas. I do agree that sides can have a shocker or two & they don't instantly become crud, to me what this series meant is that there is not much difference between the top sides in the world. Whilst I believe the Saffas are the best side in the world atm, I am more confident of Oz beating them, than winning the Ashes back in England (still believe we can, just degrees of confidence)!

POSTED BY
sk12
on | August 23, 2012, 1:32 GMT

LOL reading most of the comments.. guess Nasser and few other Sky commentators hav a lot to do with us Indians fans being so critical and dismissive of the Eng team. And of course the small matter of havin to hand over the #1 in the most embarassing circumstances. Not too proud to say this, but I was one of them.. Now looking back, its only fair to giv them credit.. they wer so dominant at home after all..

POSTED BY
BG4cricket
on | August 23, 2012, 1:14 GMT

England by their own admission prepared poorly for the series in the UAE and this was the start of the slide. They have played poorly all year winning just 3 of 11 tests against teams which on paper were inferior. They have struggled with both bat and ball throught - poor strike rates and averages from the bowlers and damningly only KP has an average of over 40. Broad and Swann look shadows of their former selves and the batting apart from Prior and a couple of sensational KP innings has not shown the required application. Bairstow looked encouraging but as an Aussie I am starting to believe at last that we may have a chance in the Ashes if the young bowlers can stay on the field.

POSTED BY
whoster
on | August 23, 2012, 0:29 GMT

James Anderson was pretty frank about SA being the better side, and it's good to hear him speak so positively about how united the England team are behind Strauss. It shouldn't be forgotten that we were beaten by a very good side indeed - a SA team that's undoubtedly their best since their re-admission into Test cricket, and they've had plenty of strong sides in that time. It's going to be very tough in India, and the bowlers will have to be at their very best to compete. Bairstow and Finn were real plusses from the last Test, though it'll be a different examination altogether against India in their home conditions. I'd be very happy to get a draw against India, though that's a big ask.

POSTED BY
Chris_P
on | August 23, 2012, 0:26 GMT

@FreddyForPrimeMinister. Thanks mate. You're right, we got smashed by you guys over here. I actually went to the first 2 days of the Gabba test so only saw good stuff! I actually enjoyed the last 2 tests as contests. They were close with your mob gaining slight first innings leads. Seems a few have forgotten how close it was. Working night shift allowed me to see a lot of cricket, what better way to pass time!

POSTED BY
maddy20
on | August 23, 2012, 0:18 GMT

@Snick_To_Backward_Point
You can watch the highlights of England tour of UAE(vs Pakistan) and quote that again!

POSTED BY
Chris_P
on | August 23, 2012, 0:14 GMT

I do have to add to Jimmy. After your 6th loss, you only just realize it? Man, you are confirming all those stories said about all fast bowlers!

POSTED BY
sk12
on | August 22, 2012, 23:20 GMT

oh well.. your real wake up call was the clean sweep in UAE.. Even if you had managed to win this home series, it wouldnt compensate for the away loses you suffered this year. You probably brushed it off as an one-off thing. This series is more like a death knell than a wake up call..

POSTED BY
yorkshirematt
on | August 22, 2012, 22:47 GMT

@Maddy 20 I think you'll also find that most of us want the aussies to lose 3-0 to SA not the other way round. If not then I think it's the first time ever that the english have wanted the aussies to win.

POSTED BY
yorkshirematt
on | August 22, 2012, 22:44 GMT

@maddy20 Where have any England fans been belittling SA? All I've seen is compliments about how well they've played and how they deserved to win. Oh, and Indians and aussies belittling England's series wins from the last few years. Even the Ashes win.

POSTED BY
glance_to_leg
on | August 22, 2012, 22:13 GMT

What is it that makes Australian and Indian posters so bitter and spiteful? Anderson acknowledges the superiority of the South African attack in a perfectly reasonable fashion, and sets out what England hope to achieve. In similar circumstances, many Australian and Indian fans and players will start seeking excuses and scapegoats. It is to Anderson's credit that he does not try to do this. The hostility shown towards England is bizarre. Except in football (at which we are dire), most English fans usually expect the worst, and crow only over habitually unsporting opponents (yes, that generally means Australians). There is remarkably little triumphalism or arrogance. I suspect this is actually why other teams so hate losing to England at cricket and rugby. Among fans there is little arrogance because we have a long history of losing and expect it. We are almost amused when we win. This might actually be our problem: unlike our Australian cousins, losing probably doesn't hurt enough.

POSTED BY
maddy20
on | August 22, 2012, 21:59 GMT

@Front-Foot-Lunge
Its not bitterness my friend. It is the payback to all the unruly banter targeted at visiting teams by England's players and fans, especially when SA has played in spirit of cricket and have not said one word despite of psychological intimidation by Eng media before this series commenced. If you go through this forum you will see England fans belittling SA's performance and claiming will be wiped out 3-0 by Aus. SA have never been this settled and I am sure they will give the Aussies a run for their money.
@Chris Sun
If I were you I would rather worry about your team's fate in India where they have not won a test series in nearly 3 decades. The 5-0 drubbing in ODIs was just a taste of things to come this winter. It does not take world class spinners to wipe out England. Ashwin and Ojha(backed by left arm spin of Yuvraj Singh are more than sufficient.

POSTED BY
Snick_To_Backward_Point
on | August 22, 2012, 21:47 GMT

"A true no 1 does not lose 5-0 or 3-0" - or ah hum, 8-0.

POSTED BY
RandyOZ
on | August 22, 2012, 21:20 GMT

You really have to feel sorry for Jimmy, as one of the only Englishman in the team, he has fought an uphill battle his whole career. The lack of talent coming through must really get to him.

POSTED BY
on | August 22, 2012, 20:20 GMT

If this is what Anderson is made of, I can accept that. But he has got more to offer, during the last 2 years (I still watch his bowling action clips and try to bowl as much as possible like him. I respect him that much) he had more bite than this series for some reason. Even against the WI he was swinging it both ways. I am a little bit disappointed with Anderson, I must admit. I personally would advise him to not to go to India. Pace bowling in sub-continent is very hard and unrewarding too. Maybe Finn and Broad can take up the bowling duty (they at least have height) along with two spinners. Also, DO NOT stand in key position during test matches, as a bowler you will not have enough concentration level (I don't doubt your fitness levels

POSTED BY
Jarr30
on | August 22, 2012, 19:54 GMT

GOOD MORNING JAMES ANDERSON!!!!! Thanks for waking up.

POSTED BY
AdrianVanDenStael
on | August 22, 2012, 19:52 GMT

"When you get to No.1 you can start believing your own hype and your own press." Well, it's certainly dangerous for any British sportsperson to start believing their own press. (Come to think of it, one could probably delete the syllable "sports" from that last setence.)

POSTED BY
on | August 22, 2012, 19:49 GMT

This means 2 things either England Cricket team has lost everything or South Africa is better than every team.I agree with both.However tougher times for England ahead as they will tour India (end of this year).

POSTED BY
warneneverchuck
on | August 22, 2012, 19:40 GMT

ENG is very ordinary they could not win single match against another ordinary team Pakistan

POSTED BY
on | August 22, 2012, 19:34 GMT

England must show more maturity on and off the field. KP issue has been blown out of proportion costing them focus. However brave they are in talking out of it, the impact remains. Australia will take full advantage of this in the Ashes unless things are taken care of more efficiently in the meanwhile.

POSTED BY
debut_at_31
on | August 22, 2012, 19:29 GMT

we dont have dravid, we dont have laxman and who knows we may not have sachin by then. we dont have world class spinners. we have a reasonably good medium pace attack and a group of sloggers. we really dont stand a chance against england, even minus kp. its either going to be a bunch of boring draws where a few youngsters CEMENT their place in the test side after BRILLIANT knocks or england is going to create history.

POSTED BY
Front-Foot-Lunge
on | August 22, 2012, 19:21 GMT

hahaha I love it when Indian and Aussie fans show their bitterness by criticising the same bowling attack that famously whitewashed and humiliated them! LOL

POSTED BY
MattyP1979
on | August 22, 2012, 19:16 GMT

Wow. Looks like the Ind tour is just a formality. Seriously guys get a grip. Eng played 3 matches against SA 2 of which were highly contested. Eng managed +300 scores against the best attack in world cricket in Eng....what do you think we are going to get against Ind? As for the Aussies putting their ten pence in, you have SA next. Lets see how your mighty batting line-up does against them. Ind is always a tough tour, but it will be a hard fought series, too soon to know which way it will go. As for Aus...lol I cannot wait.

POSTED BY
mcsdl
on | August 22, 2012, 18:50 GMT

Anderson you are right, its good you are woken-up now. it was all hype from press and media of this ordinary English team.! They only lasted a year at no1 spot, & few months back so-called English pundits comaring them to greatest ever teams like Windies in 80s & Aussies in noughties. That was laughable & annoying to see how biased people can be. & now I would like to see what guys like Nasser Hussain & Bob Willis got to say about the so called "greatest" team...! Went to UAE and lost to an ordinary Pakistan side 3-0 & in Sri Lanka they just managed to hang-on to a series draw & English batting were clueless & embarrasing against spin bowling. Lets not even talk about humiliation England received in the worldcup. England at home conditions, thats where they supposed to be untouchable, & Look what happend to them, 2-0 & almost 3-0 at home. This English team is a well organised side, but with ordinary players with limited skills & In this winter they will be tarnished further. Wait & see

POSTED BY
Nadeem1976
on | August 22, 2012, 17:48 GMT

Wake up call. Wow man. Series against pakistan was wake up call. this is submission.
Admit it that english bowlers are of normal quality not great quality.
I cannot stand that in today's world the medium pacers like Anderson and Broad are considered as the best. Damn it , don't disrespect the greatest fast bowlers of past.
Only Styen belongs to greatness only not anderson.

POSTED BY
Snick_To_Backward_Point
on | August 22, 2012, 16:31 GMT

Just what I expect to see from Eng - honesty. Well done Anderson, Flower, Straussy et al. You have the honesty to admit your errors, haven;t made any excuses and have given the Saffers their deserved praise. Indian fans - please take note - this is how a losing side gets better. Not through tantrum throwing and hurling abuse at your superior opponents but through looking at where you went wrong, where you can improve and how to become no 1 again. If this isn;t done you end up pinning all your hopes in souless formats of the game like T20 and ODIs and then pretend test cricket doesn;t matter. Humility in defeat is priceless - good on you Anderson. Well done England. You will regain the no 1 spot I have no doubts.

@Vkarthik: "poor struggling Pakistan team" HAHAHA!!!! You Indians are too much. live in reality my friend. Look at your ranking Mr. India fan and then say who is POOR and STRUGGLING. Also, don not forget you poor and struggling cricket against BD in this Asia cup you world Champs. Let us see how you play against NZ and them claim anything against England. England may be struggling against SA but they are surely far more better than poor & really struggling Indian team who lost 4-0. Please live in this real world my poor struggling fan of Indian team.

POSTED BY
on | August 22, 2012, 16:16 GMT

Please will the Indian fans stop boring everyone with the same old dross about your not no1 til you've won there. India are well down the rankings no5 and hardly worth talking about, IPl dross is all they are bothered about lol

POSTED BY
on | August 22, 2012, 16:12 GMT

A true number one team does not lose 5-0 (India ODIs) and 3-0(Pak tests) straight after becoming no. 1. That has, in fact become dead-meat now. What i do think is that, England lost this tag so super-quick much because of their attitude. i somehow dont see humility in the English faces. Trott, Bell, Broad, Swann, Anderson, they always seemed to be somehow poh-pohing themselves, that how great they are, and how far above they are from the rest. Tim Bresnan is a great example, post India in 2011, he has taken 12 wickets at over 100 runs a piece, and scored 81 runs @ 10.5 per test, which, any self-respecting team would not accept. But then, he was their 'lucky charm' for so long. Whats that? I see too many stiff upper-lips there.

POSTED BY
yorkshirematt
on | August 22, 2012, 15:38 GMT

Anderson again? For a supposedly shy, quiet chap he's had a lot to say for himself recently.

POSTED BY
on | August 22, 2012, 15:33 GMT

England is a good team, no doubt about it. Just because they lost one series 2-0 does not mean that they are a bad team. Cricket is just a funny game that conditions play a very great part in winning or loosing a series. India which just won the world cup in 2011, was white washed in the test series in England in 2011. But when they toured India a little later, for a one day series they were thrashed 5-0 by India. So this business of ranking teams is a fallacy. The top 6 teams are almost equal to each other and the win or loss is governed more by the conditions of the wicket and where they play. i predict England will have a very tough time in India in spite of the retirement of Dravid and VVS. Sewag and Sachin will be more than a match for what England can bowl. The same set of bowlers were devastating in 2011 against India but watch out, Anderson, Broad, Bresnan. What I am saying is ranking teams on the basis of a mathematical formula is ridiculous.

POSTED BY
Trachiniae
on | August 22, 2012, 15:30 GMT

@ashes61. Well said. Half of the slanging matches on here would be avoided if people could just appreciate the difference between BEST (subjective) and No.1 (objectively measured, as in the singles charts). In fairness, the cheerleading English media have helped conflate the two titles. Today, it's pretty clear to me that RSA deserve both, and as a disappointed England fan, I thank them for some entertaining masterclasses with bat and ball. Whether England deserved that trickier 'Best in World' title 18-24 months ago is a question worth considering. For what it's worth, I firmly believe they did briefly deserve it, but that they've been off their game ever since getting the stupid Mace (as Anderson admits above). In truth a series between RSA c.2012 -ENG c.2011 (i.e. with both at their best) would have been the one everyone wanted to see, rather than the slightly tepid offering (Lord's excepted) that we ended up with instead. But coulda woulda shoulda etc. Well done SA.

POSTED BY
FreddyForPrimeMinister
on | August 22, 2012, 15:27 GMT

@Eat_sleep_play_cricket on (August 22 2012, 13:52 PM GMT) - as usual we are inundated with ridiculous comments by the England haters, who seem seem to be immune to any reasoned, intelligent cricketing arguments. Instead we have to read this constant drivel from people who have such an enormous chip on their shoulders that make it impossible for them to analyze any English team without resorting to abuse. Just once, it would be nice to hear from an Indian fan who actually WATCHES a match and LISTENS to what the English players, management, media and supporters are saying. We are the most self-critical country on the planet - and we DON'T feel the need to rubbish another country for the sake of whatever happened 100 years ago. Please remember that without England introducing the game of cricket to your shores, you'd doubtless be caught up in the web of tedium that is baseball or American football. Show the world that you've learned humility along with the ability to play cricket!!

POSTED BY
sirvivfan
on | August 22, 2012, 15:14 GMT

Wake up call should have come against Pakistan! Abu dhabi is not sub continent....it certainly did provide spin like in India. Despite this Pakistan won. England attack in India will not be as effective as at home. So the result might be 2-0 to India. As to SA against Australia SA should win, they are the better side. If cook , Trott bell score agai st Austrikian what will like of Smith, Amla, Kallis , Dumminy AB , not me toon Petersen achieve. Just think about it.....too many comments on this are not subjective!

POSTED BY
FreddyForPrimeMinister
on | August 22, 2012, 15:13 GMT

@Chris_P on (August 22 2012, 13:35 PM GMT) - at last, a reasoned, thoughtful and intelligent comment by an Aussie/Indian/Pak/SA supporter. Thank you Chris! You're spot on. England have played poorly in the past 10 months. They struggled with spin in the UAE and Sri Lanka, though in fairness they should signs of progress through the series and were it not for one day of crazy choking, would have won at least one Test against Pakistan. Against SA, they were not at their best against a team who were absolutely at their peak. The better side won, most notably due to the 1st Test hammering, the repercussions of which were always going to take time to surmount. If only we could have had an additional two Tests, I think we'd have had a clearer picture of the proximity of the two teams. That's not to say that SA wouldn't have won 4-0 but England may well have held on for a draw in the 3rd Test if they knew two more were coming, and then who knows what might have happened?

POSTED BY
FreddyForPrimeMinister
on | August 22, 2012, 15:04 GMT

@Slater1 on (August 22 2012, 12:31 PM GMT) - I love the nonsense posted by one-eyed Indian and Aussie fans on these pages, crowing about how poor England are. England lost to, and were outclassed by, a better South African team - and not a single English player, fan or journalist has denied that. But we absolutely BATTERED both India and Australia, so if we're so awful, what does that make your teams?? Grow up and look in the mirror before making such ludicrous comments.

POSTED BY
on | August 22, 2012, 15:01 GMT

ii agree wth jimmy batter and bowlers did it constituly.deserve this no 1 spot

POSTED BY
DeathKnell
on | August 22, 2012, 14:53 GMT

@davidpk on (August 22 2012, 12:30 PM GMT) - as long as you dont mix up with topics & comments and you dont be complacent with smashing India long back, whenever there is a discussion on Eng's performance....talking abt bowling, no matter what... if you let ur team down to whitewashes (ODI or Test) it amounts to (much more than) a wake-up call...I believe the person himself should have at least half the technique he employed in either of the formats to play in the other.. just turning a blind eye to those calls lead to such mishaps....it is hightime the team/ fans understood that the problems are much deeper (on & off the field) than what is projected....

POSTED BY
ravikb
on | August 22, 2012, 14:49 GMT

My dear Indian fans, don't think that India will beat Eng very easily even though Eng are ordinary at playing spin. Right now, if Ashwin is our leading spinner, I will be really worried if we can take 20 test wickets in a test match in India, forget about overseas (we all know what happened last year). To be a good test side, we need a class spinner which we are lacking currently. Harbhajan bowled really well in SA just before world cup, that's why we performed well there. I have this feeling that since Harbhajan's form faded Indian team performance has also faded overseas! Moreover, England were never whitewashed by India even when we had Kumble and Harbhajan at their peak. So, forger about whitewash and be realistic. I predict a 1-1 with 2 drawn test matches.

POSTED BY
on | August 22, 2012, 14:40 GMT

england were never at the top.....apart from their 4 - 0 drubbing in the last year of india, they lost their series to pakistan, and now this to south africa. From the moment they got the top position, was the moment that they began to lose it! Is this the great english team everyone was lamenting about? No doubt england is a good team, but they are very inconsistent, either be it in the subcontinent, and now even at home. South Africa are deservingly and finally number 1.

POSTED BY
Highflyer_GP
on | August 22, 2012, 14:38 GMT

@ landl47 on (August 22 2012, 12:48 PM GMT): But you can't take out one test and then say it's fairly even. That one test illustrated the gulf in difference between the two sides. And had it not been for a KP masterclass in the 2nd test, it could well have been 3-0. Also for all this talk about dropped catches, and all the other if's and buts, there is not a single mention of all the dodgy umpiring decisions that SA was subjected to, yet they still came out ahead.

POSTED BY
SICHO
on | August 22, 2012, 14:38 GMT

I'm a bit suprised on why do people(well mostly Indians) keep on saying that England will be beaten by India, its not like India have a Ajmal who makes things happen all by himself or a Herath who's tidy and tight. The England bowling attack weren't that bad in the UAE, if I'm not wrong, Pakistan passed 300 once in the three tests. So don't write them off yet. @Chris_P, our national cricket team is the proteas, the boks are our national rugby side.

POSTED BY
ravikb
on | August 22, 2012, 14:31 GMT

@davidpk, I too agree that Aus fielders will not miss as many catches as Eng did but for that to happen catches should go to fielders which I don't think will happen with the kind of club level bowlers Aus have at the moment!

POSTED BY
ravikb
on | August 22, 2012, 14:22 GMT

Oz fans seem to be very happy with England losing the no.1 ranking and they think that Aus team will regain the ashes. Problem is they think that their team are world beaters after beating Pathetic India in their own backyard. We all know how WI ran them closer. If WI had Narine and Samuels available they would have easily won that series. So Oz fans, stop dreaming that your team will regain ashes next year. Your bowlers and batsmen are club level to say the least.

POSTED BY
spickandspan
on | August 22, 2012, 14:19 GMT

Every loss of late seems to be a wake up and yet we've been tosh for 12 months. These players should save the sound bites and get their games in order.

POSTED BY
Eat_Sleep_Play_Cricket
on | August 22, 2012, 13:52 GMT

@ jb633: LOL! Dude i know its hard to forget 2-0 drubbing your team received against SA, It could have easily been 3-0 if not for KP. Okay coming to your wonderful English team - who have no idea which way the ball turns in sub continent. Lets see your batsman stats - Strauss and Cook! Ya they are good players even my grandpa was, Trott - Give me a break! I dont think this overrated player can stay at the popping crease for more than 30 mins. Jonny - Young lad started with good innings but looking at his technique against Tahir, i dont think he can survive in Sub continent. Remaining players (Please fill them) - They talk more without any thing to show from their bat. Swan - I would not even pick him in my team with such a childish behavior. Broad- LOL! This guy takes more vaccation (english say rested) than any player in the world. Bowling - If its not overcast, English bowlers are just a bunch of street cricketers. I will be more worried about English team than Team India.

POSTED BY
desi-blue
on | August 22, 2012, 13:49 GMT

@jb633:It's quite obvious that you are looking at Rehman through rose tinted glasses...I mean come on..Rehman is NOT a ''High Class'' bowler...ENG are just rubbish at playing spin..and even though most of the spinners in the Indian side do not match up to your ''Standard" lol... I think they will do quite well...besides not so long ago the ENG batsmen were struggling to play Herath of all people...and he is average at best.....

POSTED BY
Chris_P
on | August 22, 2012, 13:35 GMT

@Slater1. I hope that was tongue in cheek about English cricket. No one enjoys beating them more than me, but they have been the form team for the past 3 years. 2012 has been a disaster for them to date & their character will be tested to see if they can come back to that previous form. Same for Indian cricket since their efforts in 2011. This is what I enjoy about test cricket, valid discussion about a great game.

POSTED BY
Chris_P
on | August 22, 2012, 13:31 GMT

@DeathKnell. See my friend, these staements by Chris Sun makes me cringe. Our side is nowhere near ready, we are still in transition. That said, if we beat the Boks, we can assume the #1 position, & that wouldn't sit down that well with me as we have a long way to go to achieve the status of a complete cricket team. If they maintain the standard they showed in England, the Boks will stay at the top for a while yet, rightly so, might I add. Pakistan is a team on the rise, but consistency is their biggest hurdle to overcome. England have a few issues to address, none the least is what to do with Strauss. KP is a huge hole to fill, but team harmony might improve. The future is very uncear for them. India, or whoever manages them, have put forward a poor transtion plan to replace their aging legends. That is a huge hurdle they will have to overcome in the next couple of years if they have designs on the top spot in tests.

POSTED BY
ab_2712
on | August 22, 2012, 12:53 GMT

@DrVindaloo Winning is india is always going to be a challenge for England. I think you are forgetting that the series is going to be in india..so even an out of form Sehwag or Gambhir can score big against the English attack. We have already seen in UAE hw this English attack played against Pakistan..so its not going to be a cakewalk for England..

POSTED BY
landl47
on | August 22, 2012, 12:48 GMT

Take out the first test and the stats between SA and England are almost identical- and that's with England putting down key catches from Petersen, Amla and De Villiers which cost over 300 runs altogether. England showed in the second and third tests that they're capable of playing with SA. The first test was a disaster, but teams do have disasters, as SA well know. It's over, move on.

POSTED BY
Slater1
on | August 22, 2012, 12:31 GMT

Hahaha. Am happy to see England's sorry state being a true Australian Cricket fan. Atlast the Poms have been showed the reflection of their true self. Ian Botham & Darren Gough were blabering about how the Poms would rule the Cricketing world for years when they reached the Number 1 ranking last year and see at their pathetic condition now. India can do Australia a big favour by white-washing them 4-0 in November, which looks to be a certainty with KP out of contention in this English team. Come Ashes next year and Australia can now hope to beat England in their own backyard and reclaim their lost glory.

POSTED BY
Pilot777
on | August 22, 2012, 12:30 GMT

I would have thought the wake-up call would have been against Pakistan when they lost 3-0!! looks like they just hit the snooze button until the bucket of water has been thrown on them to wake them up.

POSTED BY
bumsonseats
on | August 22, 2012, 12:30 GMT

deathkneel im not sure a 5 - 0 lose in a odi series in india was the start of the slide. when will the indian supporters not get the different forms of cricket mixed up. since eng lost in india. they have beat in odis pak WI and the aussies with the lose of i think one game out of 11 if memory seves me well. we lost against the saffers because we were not good enough plain and simple. we were # 1 because the rulers of the game the icc said we were and our results dictated that. not because we lost a odi series a year ago you put to much importance on yourselves. the writing was on the wall when pakistan beat us 3 - 0 in tests.one could say eng started indias fall from grace with a 4 - 0 win which led to loses of 8 on the trot.

POSTED BY
on | August 22, 2012, 12:27 GMT

And just like that, the mighty South Africans rout England to become no.1. And please, KP with 2 extra phones couldn't have stopped that;)

POSTED BY
Slater1
on | August 22, 2012, 12:11 GMT

Hahaha. Am happy to see England's sorry state being a true Australian Cricket fan. Atlast the Poms have been showed the reflection of their true self. Ian Botham & Darren Gough were blabering about how the Poms would rule the Cricketing world for years when they reached the Number 1 ranking last year and see at their pathetic condition now. India can do Australia a big favour by white-washing them 4-0 in November, which looks to be a certainty with KP out of contention in this English team. Come Ashes next year and Australia can now hope to beat England in their own backyard and reclaim their lost glory.

POSTED BY
200ondebut
on | August 22, 2012, 12:10 GMT

Seems an omission of a complete lack of professionalism by the Swann, Broad & Anderson trimvulate. Perhaps if they stopped acting like children and instead acted like professional sportsmen this would not have happened.

POSTED BY
TsoroM
on | August 22, 2012, 12:00 GMT

@ bennybow; nailed it on the head mate, "England are not bad, but they not as good as SA". @ the Oval on day one England were on top, but SA's mental strength and superiority prevailed from day 2 onwards. @ Headingley with Pietersen's onslaught and the support from some of his mates brought their A-game or at least they tried, but SA held their nerve and their superiority prevailed once more. Last but not least Bairstow, Trott, Prior, Swann and Broad yet again tried their best and yet again SA's superiority prevailed. So u got it spot-on, because with those displays they could have taken games away from other test teams...

POSTED BY
mrgupta
on | August 22, 2012, 11:57 GMT

@ bennybow: If this was the toughest and they lost 2 out of 3 games then God knows what happened in UAE when they lost 3 out of 3 games to Pakistan. No other team lost so badly immediately after becoming No.1. India managed to hold onto their title for almost 2 years England couldn't last 1 year and don't forget India did play against SA (2 series) and didn't loose any of them. Also defeated Aus, NZ, WI and drew a series against SriLanka.

POSTED BY
jb633
on | August 22, 2012, 11:56 GMT

Those saying Inida will be harder than SA are kidding themselves. Lets be honest India are now a very poor test match side. Very dangerous in the shorter format but certainly facing Morkel, Steyn and Vern will be a bigger challenger than Yadav and ..... (please insert a name, I can't think of any decent Inidan spinner). England were turned over in Pakistan by high class spinners. Lets give Ajmal and Rehman credit, they are canny bowlers.
England's bowlers will struggle but I can't see the batting being as bad as in the UAE. The big difference is that Pakistan have real bowlers, India have pie chuckers who try and bowl darts. The IPL has successfully destroyed any glimmer Inida had of being considered a top test match side. I think the comments of many fans (excluding a few like cpt.meanster) are ridiculous. The problems you have had in test match cricket do not evaporate overnight. If I was an Indian I would pay more attention to the troubles of my own side.

POSTED BY
ashes61
on | August 22, 2012, 11:55 GMT

These blinking rankings! Did we ever take any notice of them before we heard last year that if ENG beat IND 2-0 ENG would go to No 1? OK, several years ago Fletcher (& later Flower) said the aim of any team is to be the best in the world. That's fine, & normal. But this obsession with the "current No 1 in the rankings" is irrational, as it doesn't necessarily indicate the best team at the moment (altho' it does today) simply because of the 3-year cycle. It may be the best or only system we have, but what was wrong with the absence of ANY ranking system? Sometimes No 1's obvious - WI or AUS in recent decades - or much closer, such as ENG & SA in the last year or so. How many people outside IND were aware who was "No 1" a year or so ago - or even knew there WAS a ranking system? There is no doubt SA is the best team this year, but it's still very close between SA and ENG, followed by a gulf before the next side, which I'd say was PAK at the moment. But these rankings lack all meaning.

POSTED BY
sanman12
on | August 22, 2012, 11:54 GMT

Whoever compared the South African bowling line up to England and said they were equal were crazy. Few teams in the history of cricket have had a wicket taker like dale steyn. then you have the menace or morkel and skill and subtlety of philander. Add all of this and the batting line up that South Africa had and i really dont know where people thought South Africa would lsoe especially when you consider that smith AMla Kallis ABD villiers steyn abnd Morkel were part of the team that beat convincingly last time they were there. Remember that South Africa led 2 nill with the last test to go. and the end result of 2-1 does not speak of the domination by South Africa in that series. People can call South Africa chokers but what they have achieved post apartheid is something to be proud of they have been on the winning side of a result more often that the losing one and the tag of chokers has a lot to do with bad luck as well as some bad play admittedly on their part.

POSTED BY
DeathKnell
on | August 22, 2012, 11:50 GMT

@Dr.Vindaloo, @Highflyer_GP, @KishorKumar25 - good comments, appreciate it... Dr.Vindaloo - yes it will be interesting to see what the young guns have in store..
@KishorKumar25 - good one, the next article will be from Swann with a heading - "what's new? - It is all that you know for ages"

POSTED BY
DeathKnell
on | August 22, 2012, 11:39 GMT

@Chris Sun - yeh, great att by And, you & everyone... come lets pray - all high ranked team lose to non-ranked teams & those who are near Eng ranking dont play any games, if any then let rains pour in and the series be washed away...let all in the world (except Eng) work for Eng and make it the NNNNNUUUUMMMMMMBBBBEEEEERRRRRRR OOOOOONNNNNEEEEEEEE team again,...yeh...yehh....we are the champions

POSTED BY
on | August 22, 2012, 11:34 GMT

LOL- Wake up Call!!!
KP dropped. Bopara dropped... Strauss is still the captain. Swann still number one choice for spinner. Broad still bowling new ball. Only one of the Bresnon/Finn/Onions triplet can be in the side....
Are you guys really awake!!!!!

POSTED BY
Nutcutlet
on | August 22, 2012, 11:27 GMT

Absolute honesty from Jimmy - but he's only stating the flamin' obvious. He, however, doesn't mention the most important reason for the 0-2 scoreline: the crucial catches that went down. As many have noted, they could well have changed the outcome of the series, but all that's gone. (If ifs & ands were pots & pans...). England has never practised their fielding more assiduously & their fitness is awesome. Why then are the catches being fluffed more than ever? Safe catching makes a good side very good indeed - which is where England was 12 months ago. Although skills in other areas have generally improved over the last 50 years, the close catching decidedly has not; it's probably worse now than then. When England considers introducing new players to the Test arena their catching capability has to be an important factor that's weighed in the balance. Specialist close to the wkt fielders need to be cultivated. Where's the equal of Tony Lock, Phil Sharpe, Brian Close & Colin Cowdrey today?

POSTED BY
sawifan
on | August 22, 2012, 11:24 GMT

Anderson is over-rated. I'm not saying he is not a good bowler, just over-rated. He has had a couple of good years, but even that hasn't dropped his average below 30, a sign of a better-than-average-bowler. England are still a good side (not great, never were), they were just beaten by a better side here. A lot of ppl are saying AUS will get smashed. Yet over the last 3 series between AUS and SAF, it is 1 apiece and a drawn series, with AUS winning the last test played between the nations. And any IND fan talking about ENG complancy. Please, look at your own team. Your team is the decline too,a nd tell me which match winning spinner is going to terrorize ENG? PAK did that, but they had 2 world class spinners. Even their opening bat Hafeez is better than anything team IND can throw up at the moment. I'm not saying ENG will win, but please take a look a your more recent home series. Team IND has not dominated tests and series at home as much as u may think. A bit of objectivity maybe?!

POSTED BY
bumsonseats
on | August 22, 2012, 11:22 GMT

i thought it was going to be a very hard series. what i thought was true but we did not turn up for the 3 test series apart from the 1st day of the 1st test then downward from then on. in pakistan the batters were poor but the bowling i thought was very good. the scores we got in england if the bowlers had stood up we could have won. the dropped catches when you look at them cost england big time. two of the big scores in the 1st/2nd test we dropped them when they were in single figures. australia to beat this saffars side i doubt it, but i dont expect the aussies to drop the catches england did. england to gain # 1 in the next couple of years it will be hard, they need to at least draw the indian series and the aussies home and away. but they all need to up their game big time there can be no let up. but the saffars will not have to do what they have done up to this series and draw series which they should have won namely india/aus at home which they all draw.

POSTED BY
Vkarthik
on | August 22, 2012, 11:22 GMT

So you didn't wake up when you were whitewashed by a poor struggling Pakistan team?

POSTED BY
Jim1207
on | August 22, 2012, 11:21 GMT

Mr.Moody, India were No.1 for 2.5 years, that is, around 25 months! Please do not compare England and India in same scale. India went to south africa being no.1, almost beat them and came back as no.1, not like being defeated for 0-2 at home, and away to every other nation they played.

POSTED BY
Jim1207
on | August 22, 2012, 11:19 GMT

How many wake-up calls?? May be, should find a better excuse really.

POSTED BY
on | August 22, 2012, 11:18 GMT

It's the same as with every other human endeavour. Once you've been to the Moon, where do you go next? The problem as Mr Anderson hints at, is one of motivation. If you don't have a clear goal, one that you greatly desire, chances are that your preparations are half-hearted. As we have seen, England and most of the England players were a far different proposition before they won the mace, hungry lions against sated pussy cats. I doubt any England player has a better statistical record after they beat India last year than before, in fact most have a far worse one. @Gerard Pereira - hilarious comment since England won 3 - 1 in Australia, mostly by an innings, the attack far too good for Australia, in Australia, on Australian pitches, under Australian skies - and with the Kookaburra too I believe.

POSTED BY
on | August 22, 2012, 11:09 GMT

Eng were out played in each & every department. Thanks to Gary for his GREAT efforts with Paddy who created history making Ind No1 & also RSA as No 1 test team. Gary is a silent spectator who does things behind the scene.Keeps a low profile always works on the weakness of the team & the pull them up like an engine.Kudos Gary !!!!! Smith has been leading RSA since 2003 WC after Pollock was sacked from the captaincy. It is almost 9yrs that he is leading RSA till 2011 WC after which he opted to lead in tests only.

POSTED BY
Supa_SAFFA
on | August 22, 2012, 11:00 GMT

Only the 1st test might be counted as a wake-up call. From there on it was just a hiding by a better team. One year from now when the oldest results are removed from the rankings calculations, England will be lucky if they occupy the middle of the table.

POSTED BY
DeathKnell
on | August 22, 2012, 10:48 GMT

well...well....well... I dont know why every article has something abt No#1 & KP...It is disappointing again, as more than half the write-up is about #1...shame that I was lured by the heading...to be honest, the wake up call was when Eng lost 5-0 in India...This misplacing of wake-up call & clinging to this #1 story of the past will do no good...I dont see anything going to be better....what happened to the then no#1 bowler/ spinner - Swann?..I think that was well during his reign (or around) when his bowling went for a toss....

POSTED BY
on | August 22, 2012, 10:41 GMT

England's much vaunted bowling attack is only effective on green tops under overcast skys with a duke ball as opposed to the kookaburra. In other words tailor made conditions. Against SA who have a better bowling attack and could use the same conditions better the pitches were designed to be slightly flatter. Unfortunately for England their batsmen minus KP are not as good as every one thought they were.

POSTED BY
Dr.Vindaloo
on | August 22, 2012, 10:39 GMT

Winning in India is certainly a more realistic proposition than in previous years. No Dravid or VVS, Tendulkar a couple of years too long in the tooth, Sehwag having grown fat and idle on IPL easy pickings, Harbajhan a relic of the past, Zaheer not good for more than 10 overs without breaking down, Yuvraj an unknown quantity post-illness (and never a serious test batsman anyway). If you want to look at teams in decline then look no further than India.

POSTED BY
Highflyer_GP
on | August 22, 2012, 10:26 GMT

More blabbering by the ranking-obsessed English players about being #1.

POSTED BY
KishorKumar25
on | August 22, 2012, 10:17 GMT

Hahaha every time they loose matched they aome up with similar lines

Defeat a 'good slap in the face' - Prior
http://www.espncricinfo.com/pakistan-v-england-2012/content/story/550502.html

Now its a wake up call :P

POSTED BY
Mr.Moody
on | August 22, 2012, 10:07 GMT

india became no.11 they could not manage to carry on as no.1 for long and were dethroned, then england became no.1 and were pummeled heavily during that era and eventually surrendered now its SAF!!! well i hope SAF won't let it slip away. but what we witnessed is that becoming no.1 is difficult but maintaining no.1 position is more daunting task. since england and india both are now 'dethroned teams' so they would come harder at each other

POSTED BY
justtogood
on | August 22, 2012, 9:59 GMT

@chris sun - SA will loose 3-0 in AUS, not sure what planet you on buddy!!!

POSTED BY
bennybow
on | August 22, 2012, 9:58 GMT

Sorry but it's nonsense. Are we really expected to believe that Jimmy doesn't try so hard to get Smith out now that England are No 1 or that Morne Morkel would bowl more gently to Strauss if England were No 2? The difference is that this was the toughest opposition England have faced for years and England weren't good enough. They're not bad just not as good as SA.

POSTED BY
Smahuta
on | August 22, 2012, 9:53 GMT

@MrMankad you are correct, Eng will not be number one for long, oh look they already aren't. Forget about KP his career is over. He wasnt that great anyway, he was good for a blistering 100 every 20 games or so. You could probably find club cricketers who can throw the bat at everything and get away with it that often. Its just that the rest of the team are so average they make KP look good.

POSTED BY
Selassie-I
on | August 22, 2012, 9:51 GMT

Well said jimmy. Nice humble comments, let's move forwards. Maybe this series would have been better without all of the off field issues... it would have certainly been better with another test or two! India will be very interesting. Both team in some what of a transitional phase now; India with no Dravid and VVS, England with no KP.

POSTED BY
StaalBurgher
on | August 22, 2012, 9:49 GMT

"Australia will wipeout SA 3-0." Here we go again. Why can't we just agree that the top teams all have a decent enough chance to any series? Oz vs SA will be tightly contested AGAIN. SA might be slightly stronger but not by much and normal performance fluctuation can tip a series result. If Oz go into Nov thinking they are going to wipe SA that arrogant attitude will get them the same result as Eng.

POSTED BY
on | August 22, 2012, 9:44 GMT

we have to win in india and we wiil win in india .....there is a HUGE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN these two sentences ....seeing the england team play like jumping jacks in abu dhabhi and sri lanka lately...... story wont be any different in india .... only difference i might see is scoreline being 4-0 in favour of india rather than 3-0 or 1-1

POSTED BY
Smahuta
on | August 22, 2012, 9:40 GMT

Finally they're admitting they are victims of their own hype. At least they aren't in denial anymore. England choked this one, thats for sure. @Chris Sun the answer is one. SA have only been number one for about 4 months. Get ready for your boys to get a hiding they will not be prepared for. Time to start blaming CLarkes lack of runs and the foreign coach already.

POSTED BY
on | August 22, 2012, 9:32 GMT

guys...without KP if England go to India then for sure, they will loss the series..so be practical ..whoever is saying England will win the series in India..then he must be a stupid and nothing else.

POSTED BY
wrenx
on | August 22, 2012, 9:31 GMT

So is Anderson saying that the ranking system has made them forget how to play test cricket?

POSTED BY
Slater1
on | August 22, 2012, 9:26 GMT

Mr Anderson!!!! S.Africa beating you is just the beginning of the end of England Team. The real end would be in Nov when the wounded Tigers who are ready to pounce on you would attack you leaving your Team helpless in all front. Pls be prepared for the biggest nightmare Tour in your Cricketing career.

POSTED BY
jonesy2
on | August 22, 2012, 9:19 GMT

if they are relaying on players like bairstow and finn for the future they are in serious trouble. serious trouble.

POSTED BY
jonesy2
on | August 22, 2012, 9:16 GMT

hahahaa much vaunted bowling attack. the only people who think englands bowling attack is anything more than a gentle, club level line up are poms. not one england bowler would get into the pakistanis, proteas or aussies team. england are never going to be close to number 1 again, a much more realistic aim is for them to make sure india, pakistan and sri lanka dont overtake them soon.

POSTED BY
guptahitesh4u
on | August 22, 2012, 9:00 GMT

Englnad would have lost the spot in SL itself. It was Peitersen who won the 2nd match for them over there. However,england will now keep chasing the no1. spot.

POSTED BY
Manager
on | August 22, 2012, 8:59 GMT

Stop with these being hunted excuses,Jimmy & Co. And being complacent & resting on laurels is pretty much the same. You seem so overwhelmed with reality that you are contradicting yourself by claiming you were not complacent and then saying might have rested on laurels.

POSTED BY
Guernica
on | August 22, 2012, 8:55 GMT

Hmm, that wake-up call should have come in the 3rd test against West Indies when Best and Ramdin were putting on nearly 200. Dropped catches, over-defensive fields - the warning signs were there for all to see.

POSTED BY
on | August 22, 2012, 8:48 GMT

Good chance to win in India. They do have the best spinner (Swann) across both teams and have only Zaq who can take some wickets. They are already a wicket down if they play Rohit Sharma. It looks good for England, if they avoid food at the 5 star hotels and stick to dhabas :)

POSTED BY
MrMankad
on | August 22, 2012, 8:42 GMT

Winning in India?? Dream on. The SA defeat was only the beginning of the end. All the hubris from last year is slowly, painfully, flake by flake going to be taken off this English team. I can already see Swann's career ending in India, as also Strauss's and consequently Flower's. Anderson might survive India, but only just. England will not be # 1 for a long long time, especially since they will most certainly go to India without KP.

POSTED BY
on | August 22, 2012, 8:41 GMT

The top teams know how to get to number 1 slot but only Australia knows how to be there for a long time. Now the Aussie team is not that great but still for a decade they have maintained the top spot. South Africa who are the fierce competitor of Australia have achieved and i feel this has what removed the tag of chockers from Proteas. Well done SA. Keep up the momentum.

POSTED BY
on | August 22, 2012, 8:35 GMT

Great attitude by James Anderson, England would want to reclaim the no.1 ranking. How many times have South Africa lost their grip on the no.1 ranking. Australia will wipeout SA 3-0.

POSTED BY
Porky_PigTheToon
on | August 22, 2012, 8:29 GMT

Good Morning Anderson ! Do you not think its too late ? -> " The starting point is India. It is a tough place to start but it an exciting challenge. If you want to be No.1 in the world you have to win in India, so why not start there? " <- Well said. This is the Best chance to Beat India in India as both Dravid and Laxman are gone ! But I still feel beating India in India won't be easy.

No featured comments at the moment.

POSTED BY
Porky_PigTheToon
on | August 22, 2012, 8:29 GMT

Good Morning Anderson ! Do you not think its too late ? -> " The starting point is India. It is a tough place to start but it an exciting challenge. If you want to be No.1 in the world you have to win in India, so why not start there? " <- Well said. This is the Best chance to Beat India in India as both Dravid and Laxman are gone ! But I still feel beating India in India won't be easy.

POSTED BY
on | August 22, 2012, 8:35 GMT

Great attitude by James Anderson, England would want to reclaim the no.1 ranking. How many times have South Africa lost their grip on the no.1 ranking. Australia will wipeout SA 3-0.

POSTED BY
on | August 22, 2012, 8:41 GMT

The top teams know how to get to number 1 slot but only Australia knows how to be there for a long time. Now the Aussie team is not that great but still for a decade they have maintained the top spot. South Africa who are the fierce competitor of Australia have achieved and i feel this has what removed the tag of chockers from Proteas. Well done SA. Keep up the momentum.

POSTED BY
MrMankad
on | August 22, 2012, 8:42 GMT

Winning in India?? Dream on. The SA defeat was only the beginning of the end. All the hubris from last year is slowly, painfully, flake by flake going to be taken off this English team. I can already see Swann's career ending in India, as also Strauss's and consequently Flower's. Anderson might survive India, but only just. England will not be # 1 for a long long time, especially since they will most certainly go to India without KP.

POSTED BY
on | August 22, 2012, 8:48 GMT

Good chance to win in India. They do have the best spinner (Swann) across both teams and have only Zaq who can take some wickets. They are already a wicket down if they play Rohit Sharma. It looks good for England, if they avoid food at the 5 star hotels and stick to dhabas :)

POSTED BY
Guernica
on | August 22, 2012, 8:55 GMT

Hmm, that wake-up call should have come in the 3rd test against West Indies when Best and Ramdin were putting on nearly 200. Dropped catches, over-defensive fields - the warning signs were there for all to see.

POSTED BY
Manager
on | August 22, 2012, 8:59 GMT

Stop with these being hunted excuses,Jimmy & Co. And being complacent & resting on laurels is pretty much the same. You seem so overwhelmed with reality that you are contradicting yourself by claiming you were not complacent and then saying might have rested on laurels.

POSTED BY
guptahitesh4u
on | August 22, 2012, 9:00 GMT

Englnad would have lost the spot in SL itself. It was Peitersen who won the 2nd match for them over there. However,england will now keep chasing the no1. spot.

POSTED BY
jonesy2
on | August 22, 2012, 9:16 GMT

hahahaa much vaunted bowling attack. the only people who think englands bowling attack is anything more than a gentle, club level line up are poms. not one england bowler would get into the pakistanis, proteas or aussies team. england are never going to be close to number 1 again, a much more realistic aim is for them to make sure india, pakistan and sri lanka dont overtake them soon.

POSTED BY
jonesy2
on | August 22, 2012, 9:19 GMT

if they are relaying on players like bairstow and finn for the future they are in serious trouble. serious trouble.